President Donald Trump’s recent mobilization of the National Guard and U.S. Marines into Los Angeles amid protests against immigration policies has sparked legal battles with California Governor Gavin Newsom. Trump’s subsequent campaign-style rally at Fort Bragg, where soldiers cheered his attacks on Democrats, raised concerns over political use of the military. The upcoming military parade in D.C., coinciding with Trump’s birthday, has drawn scrutiny for potentially politicizing the Army.

Trump’s efforts to deploy military forces underscore his attempts to leverage government institutions for personal gain, alarming military experts about the erosion of the military’s nonpartisan image. Despite legal challenges, Trump’s actions highlight his authoritarian tendencies, such as using federal agencies to target adversaries and rewarding allies.

The use of the National Guard without the governor’s consent, the legal battles, and Trump’s history of wielding power for personal interests have raised significant concerns about the erosion of democratic principles. The judiciary’s intervention in restraining Trump’s military deployments reflects the critical role of checks and balances in curbing executive overreach.

As the nation grapples with the implications of Trump’s actions on democracy and the rule of law, experts emphasize the importance of upholding free and fair elections as a key test for the resilience of democratic institutions. The attempts to overturn election results and the pardoning of Capitol attack convicts underscore the challenges to democratic norms and the need to safeguard the integrity of electoral processes.